No-start, no-crank was intermittent now will never start

[Scharper]

2003 Chevy Tahoe LT 5.3 4wd

I’ve had this truck for about 3 weeks. It was having starting issues when I looked at it but it seemed to be a security system issue as locking/unlocking and opening/closing doors would let it start so I bought it anyway.

A couple weeks ago I replaced the radiator support and had the battery disconnected for several hours. I had the truck in neutral when I reconnected the battery and then the gear indicator on the dash began indicating off-by-one (indicates reverse when its in neutral, 3 when its in drive, etc) but it would still start at this point. I assumed disconnecting and reconnecting the battery while in park would reset the gear indicator so I tried that a few times, finally overnight, and that’s when it started not starting for anything (and still indicates the wrong gear).

Now no matter what I try it won’t start. Fuses seem ok, playing around with the steering wheel adjustment while trying to start does nothing, moving the gear selector through the gears while trying to start does nothing. I cleaned the battery connections, tried using a jump starter, nothing. Just a click from behind the glove box area.

I can't access the starter to check if voltage is making its way their at all. Blocked by the exhaust from the top and the frame from below. How to people replace these without removing the whole engine??? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[treehan77]

is it cranking at all? clicking? or just nothing? starter should be pretty easy to remove--but i have 2WD so maybe different

 

[Scharper]

No cranking at all. All the lights stay on, it's not like the vehicle loses power when I turn the key. There is a clicking, but it seems to come from just behind the glove box, not the starter.

 

[mizzouguy]

Starter can be removed from below, disconnect your wire harness and push it to the side and the back plastic shield held on by the 2 starter mounting bolts and it will come out through the bottom. Done it on my 04 4x4.

 

[Scharper]

I can't see the wires that connect to the starter. I'd like to get a multimeter on it for testing but it seems blocked on all sides. Is there any way to test the starter this way without removing it?

 

[mizzouguy]

On mine, wires are wrapped in that silver heat reflective sleeve stuff, and there was like no slack. Should be able to snake up in there and get a lead on the solenoid ignition wire. Even then it would take two people, one to hit the key while you watch your meter.

 

[retiredsparky]

The indication of being in the wrong gear means that the TCM transmission control module thinks you are not in park/neutral. This means that when you reconnected the battery, the TCM got confused for some reason. Until you can repair or replace the TCM, you will not be able to start the engine. There is not a problem with the starter.

 

[Scharper]

From what I can tell the Tahoe didn't have a TCM until 2007 or so and it is the neutral position sensor that relays the gear position. I could be wrong but,

I figured out a way to get my multimeter on the starter. The first post I tried had the same voltage as the battery. The second post had no voltage until the key was turned to try to start, then it indicates 12+ volts. Therefore it seems the starter relay series is saying its ok to start and the starter is just failing to do anything. No clicking or anything from the starter. I even tried adding extra grounds to the engine block just to eliminate a grounding issue. Is it possible for the starter to get voltage when turning the key and something in the relay to still prevent it from starting?

I tried replacing the neutral position sensor but the shaft that comes out of the transmission and goes into the sensor would just turn inside the part without engaging. It's round with flat spots on both sides and the part I got didn't seem to have slots for those flat parts to engage with. I returned that part and will try a different one.

 

[treehan77]

I suppose the starter solenoid could be totally crapped out, but it seems more likely.you did something when you were messing with it then the solenoid/starter went out completely coincidentally

 

[Rocket Man]

There is an electrical reset procedure that works with other components, might try it. Disconnect positive terminal, leave off ten 10 minutes. Before reconnecting, touch it to negative terminal to get rid of any residual. Then reconnect. Afterwards, don't touch anything for 10 minutes.